AT&T, IBM, Nokia, Symantec launch IoT Cybersecurity Alliance

Some of the biggest tech giants in the world are set to join forces to innovate in the IoT cybersecurity space.

AT&T, IBM, Nokia Palo Alto Networks, Symantec and Trustonic have come together to launch the IoT Cybersecurity Alliance and will drive awareness of ways to better secure the IoT ecosystem.

The group will work collaborate and research security challenges of IoT across verticals and use cases such as Connected Car, Industrial, Smart Cities and Healthcare. The research will not be isolated to one particular area and instead dissect and solve IoT security problems at every critical layer.

The group will also work on making security easy to access across the ecosystem, highlighting that security needs to exist across the value chain. Users will benefit from innovative IoT services and infrastructures that can withstand the ever-evolving threat landscape.

The formation of such a group reflects the huge growth in security risks targeting the IoT. According to AT&T, there has been a 3,198% increase in attackers scanning for vulnerabilities in IoT devices in the past three years alone. Further AT&T research found that 58% of companies were not confident in the security of their IoT devices.

“The explosive growth in the number of IoT devices is only expected to continue; therefore, so must the associated cybersecurity protections,” said Mo Katibeh, AT&T senior vice president of Advanced Solutions. “Today’s businesses are connecting devices ranging from robots on factory floors to pacemakers and refrigerators. Helping these organizations stay protected requires innovation across the whole IoT ecosystem to enable sustainable growth.”

The Alliance will also look to influence security standards and policies, with each member of the group using their expertise to raise awareness and engage regularly with policymakers and other organizations. The aim is for the IoT Cybersecurity Alliance to help industry maximise the advantages of IoT while educating about how to keep companies and consumers more secure.

“Be it a connected car, pacemaker or coffee maker, every connected device is a potential new entry point for cyberattacks,” said AT&T Chief Security Officer Bill O’Hern. “Yet, each device requires very different security considerations. It’s become essential for industry leaders and innovators like those in the founding members of this Alliance, to work together to help the industry find more holistic security approaches for IoT.”